Rural mailbox and package support



Feb. 16, 1954 A. w. cox

RURAL MAILBOX AND PACKAGE SUPPORT Filed Aug. 10, 1951 "Fig.1

INVENTOR Auoczgw W. Cox.

ATTORNEHS Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

, This invention relates to a support so formed as to constitute a combined rural mailbox and package supporting means.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character described novelly formed in a manner to permit a rural mailbox to be conveniently mounted thereupon in proper position to permit the insertion therein of letters, periodicals and the like, and further novelly formed in a manner to support newspapers, packages, and other articles exteriorly of the mailbox in a manner whereby they will be shielded to a substantial extent from the elements.

Another object is to provide a device as stated wherein the support includes a horizontal extension at its upper end on which the mailbox may be positioned, said extension being braced to the vertical portion of the support by an inclined brace member, and the package support member embodied in the invention being rigidly connected to the horizontal extension, vertical portion, and brace member in a manner to provide a highly durable, rigid framework adapted to stand long use and exposure to the elements.

Yet another object is to provide a package support member embodied in the invention, that will include a U-shaped lower portion particularly well formed to receive newspapers, periodicals, and the like, said U-shaped portion being provided with transversely extended bolts bridging the same, the bolts rigidifying the construction and at the same time defining in cooperation with the U-shaped portion a space in which the inserted article may be securely gripped.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a combined mailbox and package support formed in accordance with the present invention, a mailbox being illustrated in proper position thereon;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1, the upper end portion of the support being shown in front elevation; and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the support formed in accordance with the present invention includes a vertical post II! that is preferably of channeled formation throughout, said post being provided at a suitable distance from its lower end with a pin or bolt l2 whereby there as is connected to the post the upper end of a ground point I4. As will be readily appreciated, the post is adapted to be driven into the ground surface, and the ground point It will securely hold the post against shifting from its desired vertical position.

Referring to Figure 3, I form in the post l0, adjacent the upper end thereof, a pair of vertically spaced openings I6. A mailbox support member generally designated I8 has a depending leg 20 having vertically spaced openings 22 registering with the openings 16, for extension therethrough of connecting bolts 24.

The mailbox support member 18 is of right angled formation, so as to provide at the upper end of the support a horizontal member 26, having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 28, respectively receiving bolts 30, 32, 34.

The bolt 34 is adapted for connection to the outer end of the horizontal member of a cross piece 36 having upturned ends 38 and engaging against the inner surfaces of downturned flanges 40 provided upon a conventionally constructed rural mailbox 42. The mailbox 42 is thus firmly connected in proper position to the support that constitutes the present invention, and as may be noted from Figure 1, is supported upon the horizontal member 26, and projects forwardly beyond said member so as to be readily accessible to a rural mail delivery employee. It will be understood, in this connection, that either or both of the bolts 30, 32 can be extended through the fioor of the mailbox to make the connection of the mailbox to the support member 26 more secure.

The connection of the front portion of the mailbox to the upturned ends 38 of the cross piece is eifected through th provision of openlugs 44 formed in said upturned ends, that register with openings formed in the downturned flanges 49 of the mailbox, for the reception of connecting bolts 46. j

.An article rack generally designated 48 is included in the invention, and is preferably formed from a single piece oi wide sheet metal material, the upper end of which is of right angled cross sectional configuration, thus to form a horizontal top portion 56 that underlies the horizontal member 26, the member 26 bein disposed medially between opposite sides of said top portion.

Formed in the top portion 59 of the article rack 48 is an opening 52, through which the bolt 23 extends, for the purpose of securely connecting the top portion of the article rack to the support member 26, in underlying relation there to.

Integral with the inner end of the top portion 5D is a vertical medial portion 54 of the article rack, that is provided with vertically spaced openings 56 registering with the openings 66, 22 for the extension of the bolts 24; therethrough, whereby the article rack is fixedly connected not only to the horizontal member 26, but also to the post It? itself.

At its. lower end, the intermediate portion 54 is integrally formed with a lower portion 58 of U-shaped cross sectional configuration, which at its outer end has an opening 56 disposed medially between the opposite side edges of said portion bolt32 and a bolt whereby said brace is fixedly secured to the mailbox support member and to the post, and rig-idifies the connection of said member and post.

The hook 62 is adapted for supporting articles which-may be conveniently hung thereupon, and which maybe too large for insertion in the article racka.

Contiguous to the opposite side edges of the U-shaped lower portion 58, I extend through said U-shaped portion a pair of elongated bolts 68, that are-disposed transversely of the U-shaped portion, andbridge said portionat a height sufficient to define a space between the bolts and the depressed medial area of the U-shaped portion,

thus to allow the insertion of articles therebetween, which articles will be effectively gripped by the bolts and the lower portion of the article rack.

I believe that it will beapparent that the formation of the article rack is such that articles deposited therein will be substantially protected from the elements, by reason of the provision of the overhanging top portion 56], formed'to a substantial widthlas readily seen from Figure 2.

.It is also believed of importance that the combinedmailbox. and package support is of compact, unitary construction so that one need only 0 mount the post it inthe desired location to be provided with an efliciently acting supporting means for a mailbox and for articles of various shapes and sizes.

It is believed clear that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for. any purpose to which it may be suited; Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor changes in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rural mailbox and package support including a post; a horizontal member secured to the upper end adapted for supporting a mailbox upon the post; an inclinedbrace extending between and connecting,saidmember'and post; a wide article support member formed to a substantially rigl'itangled cross-sectional shape at its upper end, whereby to define a horizontal top portion engaging against and underlying the horizontal member, and an intermediate portion disposed vertically for engagement against the post,

saidarticle support member having a lower portion'cf U-shaped cross section integral with and depending from said intermediate portion and extending outwardly from the post into engagement with the brace; a plurality of connecting elements rigidly attaching said article support member to the horizontal member, post, and brace respectively; and elongated bolts bridginglsaid U-shaped lower portion contiguous to opposite sides thereof to prevent spreading oflsaid lower portion, said bolts and iJ- shaped lower portion defininga space therebetween for insertion of 'an article and gripping of the article between tlie bolts and U-shaped lower portion.

2. A rural mailbox and package support including a post; a horizontal member secured to the upper end adapted for supporting a mailbox upon the post; an inclined brace extendingcbetween and connecting said member and p,ost';' a wide article support member formed to a substantially right-angled cross-sectional shape at its upper end, whereby to define a horizontal top portion engaging againstandlunderlying the horizontal member, and an intermediate. portion disposed vertically for engagement. against the post, said article support member havinga lower portion of Ushaped cross section integralfwith and depending from said intermediate portion and extending outwardly from the post into'em gageinent with the brace, said articlesupport member being 'attached to the horizontal memher, post, and brace respectively; and elongated boltsbridgingsaid U-shaped lower portion contiguous to opposite sides thereof to prevent References Cited in the file of thispatent UNrriro sures PATENTS Number Name Date 969,685 Eggleston Sept. 6,1910 1,358,322 McIntosh Nov; 9,1920 1,587,238 Minzoni June 1,,1926 1,856,847

Gates c May 3,1932 

